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Anderson JK, Newlove-Delgado T, Ford TJ. Annual Research Review: A systematic review of mental health services for emerging adults - moulding a precipice into a smooth passage. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:447-462. [PMID: 34939668 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The transition between child and adult services should aim to support young people into the next stage of their life in a way that optimises their function. Yet financial, organisational and procedural barriers to continuity of care often hamper smooth transition between child and adult services. AIM AND METHOD We reviewed studies of transition from child to adult mental health services, focusing on: (a) rates of referrals and referral acceptance; (b) barriers and facilitators of successful transition; (c) continuity of care during and post-transition and (d) service users' experience of transition. Studies were identified through systematic searches of electronic databases: PsycINFO, Medline, Embase and Child Development and Adolescent Studies. FINDINGS Forty-seven papers describing 43 unique studies met inclusion criteria. Service provision is influenced by previous history and funding processes, and the presence or absence of strong primary care, specialist centres of excellence and coordination between specialist and primary care. Provision varies between and within countries, particularly whether services are restricted to 'core' mental health or broader needs. Unsupportive organisational culture, fragmentation of resources, skills and knowledge base undermine the collaborative working essential to optimise transition. Stigma and young people's concerns about peers' evaluation often prompt disengagement and discontinuation of care during transition, leading to worsening of symptoms and later, to service re-entry. Qualitative studies reveal that young people and families find the transition process frustrating and difficult, mainly because of lack of advanced planning and inadequate preparation. CONCLUSIONS Despite increasing research interest over the last decade, transition remains 'poorly planned, executed and experienced'. Closer collaboration between child and adult services is needed to improve the quality of provision for this vulnerable group at this sensitive period of development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tamsin J Ford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Janssens A, Eke H, Price A, Newlove-Delgado T, Blake S, Ani C, Asherson P, Beresford B, Emmens T, Hollis C, Logan S, Paul M, Sayal K, Young S, Ford T. The transition from children’s services to adult services for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: the CATCh-uS mixed-methods study. HEALTH SERVICES AND DELIVERY RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.3310/hsdr08420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was previously seen as a childhood developmental disorder, so adult mental health services were not set up to support attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patients who became too old for child services. To our knowledge, this is the first in-depth study of the transition of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patients from child to adult health services in the UK.
Objectives
Our objectives were to explore how many young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are in need of services as an adult, what adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services are available and how attention deficit hyperactivity disorder stakeholders experience transition from child to adult services.
Design
An interactive mixed-method design was adopted with three study streams: (1) a 12-month surveillance study with 9-month follow-up to find out how many young people required ongoing medication when they were too old for child services (929 surveys completed by children’s clinicians); (2) a mapping study to identify and describe services for young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (2686 respondents to online surveys for patients and health workers and freedom of information requests to service providers and commissioners); and (3) a qualitative study to explore key stakeholders’ experiences of transition from child to adult services (144 interviews with 64 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patients, 28 parents and 52 health clinicians; 38 working in child or adult secondary health services and 14 general practitioners). Members of the public advised at each stage of the study.
Results
When corrected for non-response and case ascertainment, the annual number of young people with an ongoing need for medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder lies between 270 and 599 per 100,000 people aged 17–19 years. Among 315 individuals eligible for transition, 64% were accepted, but only 22% attended their first adult services appointment. Our interactive map describes 294 unique services for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder across the UK, of which 44 are ‘dedicated’ attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services. Few services provide the full range of recommended provision; most focus on diagnosis and medication. Services are unevenly distributed across the UK, with nearly all ‘dedicated’ services being in England. Exploring stakeholders’ experiences revealed how invested the stakeholders are in continuing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatment and how the architecture of services affects transition. An association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, education and continuance of medication into young adulthood, plus parent involvement and feeling prepared for transition and adult life with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, influenced investment. However, even with investment, how accessible adult services are, how patient needs fit with the remit of the adult service and the level of patient information available affect transition outcomes. The results also highlight how general practitioners can end up as care co-ordinators during transition by default.
Limitations
Transition estimates were based on those who want medication, so these indicate a minimum level of need.
Conclusions
Few of those who need ongoing support for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder successfully transfer to adult services, and a small proportion of those who transfer experience optimal transitional care. Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder service provision is patchy. Even among ‘dedicated’ services, few provide the whole range of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-recommended treatments.
Future work
We need to evaluate various models of transitional care and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder provision, as well as develop and evaluate psychosocial interventions for young people and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Trial registration
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN12492022.
Funding
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research programme and will be published in full in Health Services and Delivery Research; Vol. 8, No. 42. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Janssens
- Child Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- User Perspectives, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Helen Eke
- Child Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Anna Price
- Child Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Tamsin Newlove-Delgado
- Child Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Sharon Blake
- Child Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Cornelius Ani
- Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chertsey, UK
| | - Philip Asherson
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | | | - Chris Hollis
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Institute of Mental Health, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Nottingham, UK
- National Institute for Health Research MindTech MedTech Co-operative and National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Mental Health Theme, Institute of Mental Health, Nottingham, UK
| | - Stuart Logan
- Child Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula, Exeter, UK
| | - Moli Paul
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
| | - Kapil Sayal
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Institute of Mental Health, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | | | - Tamsin Ford
- Child Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Ford T. Transitional care for young adults with ADHD: transforming potential upheaval into smooth progression. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2020; 29:e87. [PMID: 31915090 PMCID: PMC7214737 DOI: 10.1017/s2045796019000817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing numbers of young adults need continued support for their attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) beyond the age-boundary for children's services. The sparse literature on transition in general suggests patchy provision and huge gaps in transitional care, but also that young people with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders fair particularly badly. Transition in health care coincides with many other important life-transitions while the difficulties associated with ADHD may make these challenges particularly hard to cope with. Parents or other advocates therefore often need to be involved, which can present problems in adult mental health services given that they tend to be less family oriented than children's services. Importantly, young people need help negotiating the transition from passive recipient of care to active self-management, and in building relationships with the adult team.In addition to patchy provision of adult ADHD services, transition is currently hampered by poor understanding of ADHD as a long term condition and uncertain knowledge of what services are available among young people and parents as well as the clinicians working with them. Guidelines recommend, and more importantly young people want, access to psycho-social interventions as well as medication. However, available evidence suggests poor quality transitional care and adult services that are highly focused on medication.Adult ADHD services need to undergo similar development to that experienced by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and community paediatrics over the last few decades. While we debate the relative merits of dedicated or specialist v. generic adult mental health services, for young adults with ADHD the training, experience and availability of professionals are more important than their qualifications or setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamsin Ford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road Cambridge CB2 2AH, Exeter, UK
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